sea level

American  

noun

1. the horizontal plane or level corresponding to the surface of the sea at mean level between high and low tide.

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sea level British  

noun

1. the level of the surface of the sea with respect to the land, taken to be the mean level between high and low tide, and used as a standard base for measuring heights and depths

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sea level Scientific  

1. The level of the ocean's surface. Sea level at a particular location changes regularly with the tides and irregularly due to conditions such as wind and currents. Other factors that contribute to such fluctuation include water temperature and salinity, air pressure, seasonal changes, the amount of stream runoff, and the amount of water that is stored as ice or snow.

2. ◆ The reference point used as a standard for determining terrestrial and atmospheric elevation or ocean depths is called the mean sea level and is calculated as the average of hourly tide levels measured by mechanical tide gauges over extended periods of time.

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Etymology

Origin of sea level

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

The Amundsen Sea accounts for most of the sea level rise driven by Antarctic melting.

From Science Daily

However, if a much larger glacier were to retreat this quickly, the consequences for global sea level rise could be severe.

From Science Daily

Their findings show that the growing mass of the oceans has played a leading role in pushing sea levels higher.

From Science Daily

Hammered out in capital letters, it simply reads: "1,753m above sea level."

From BBC

For years, researchers have observed that people who live at high elevations, where oxygen is scarce, tend to develop diabetes less often than those at sea level.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• water level